Traveling Through Farmhouses: Taking the Baby on a Famine Escape

On the way back, Zhang Xixi kept thinking about how to solve the current predicament.

There is still grain for sale now, but it is estimated that after a while, even if you have money, you won't be able to buy grain. Their wasteland cannot grow grain at present. Actually, it is not impossible to grow it, but it would require a lot of luck points. She cannot provide soil conditioner to the villagers for free.

It seems we need to plan out the specifics of how to do this better!

Suddenly the mule cart stopped, interrupting Zhang Xixi's train of thought.

Hearing the pleas outside, Zhang Xixi and the others got out of the car and saw two ragged, dirty little children kneeling in the middle of the road, crying and begging Zhang Dacheng.

"Grandpa, please have mercy and save my parents!"

"Grandpa, please!"

Zhang Dacheng looked troubled. They were all refugees who had fled here, and they couldn't even take care of themselves, let alone help others!

"Children, get up, get up!"

The two children refused to get up, repeatedly saying they wanted to save their parents.

Seeing this, Zhang Xixi said, "If you want to save people, you have to tell us where your parents are!"

The two children were overjoyed to hear this, thinking that Zhang Xixi had agreed to help them, and quickly got up to look at them expectantly.

Zhang Xixi was speechless. I didn't say I wanted to save you. I just wanted you to make way. Besides, we're all too busy taking care of ourselves to have any energy left to care about others.

Looking at the two pitiful children, Mrs. Chen sighed, "Please take us to see your parents!"

Zhang Xixi quickly grabbed Chen Shi and gestured with her eyes, "Mother, you really have to help them!"

Ms. Chen nodded, picked up the steamed buns and a bamboo tube she had just bought, and followed behind the two children.

Zhang Xixi and Zhang Dacheng had no choice but to follow behind, while Da Wang and the others guarded the mule cart.

After walking a few steps, I saw a couple leaning against a big tree, not moving at all. Could they be dead?

The two children ran over and hugged them, crying. Zhang Xixi went up and checked their breathing. They were still breathing; they looked like they had fainted from hunger.

Chen gave the buns and water to the two children, and asked them to feed the two people leaning against the tree a sip of water and a bite of bun.

Unexpectedly, the two opened their eyes immediately upon smelling the steamed buns. They forced themselves to share a bite of the bun, drank a lot of water, and stopped eating once they regained their senses.

Upon seeing Zhang Xixi and the others, knowing that they had saved their lives, the two, supported by the children, wanted to come over to thank Zhang Xixi and the others.

The man glanced at the fine cotton clothes Zhang Xixi and the others were wearing, and an idea formed in his mind. He immediately pulled the family down to kneel and said, "My benefactors, we have no way to repay your kindness. I am willing to serve you with my family for the rest of my life!"

Zhang Xixi and the others were stunned. This person was trying to sell himself!

Zhang Dacheng quickly waved his hand, "No need, we are just farmers, we don't need to be waited on!"

The man was surprised to be rejected, and the light in his eyes dimmed. He didn't say anything more, but instead pulled his family to kowtow several times to Zhang Xixi and the others to express their gratitude.

Zhang Xixi sized up the group of people. Her family was indeed short-handed, but the origins of these people were unknown.

"Where are you from? What did you do before?"

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Zhou Fu immediately introduced his family and even showed Zhang Xixi and the others their household registration certificate.

Zhang Xixi and the others learned that the man in front of them was named Zhou Fu, who had been an accountant before the age of thirty. His wife was named Sun Xiuxiu, who was twenty-nine years old. They had two sons, one named Zhou Jingyang, who was ten years old, and the other named Zhou Jingtian, who was eight years old. The family had fled to Fuzhou because of a major flood.

Zhang Xixi thought that the accountant could be a housekeeper, and the two children could be playmates. As for the woman, she should be able to cook a meal without any problem.

“If you come back with me, you’ll have to work in the fields and sign a contract of servitude. If you still want to come back with us, then follow behind us.”

When Sun Xiuxiu heard that she had to sign a contract of servitude, she tugged at Zhou Fu's sleeve.

After Zhang Xixi finished speaking, she pulled Zhang Dacheng and his wife back, not caring whether Zhou Fu and the others would follow.

"Girl, if they follow us, do you really want to take them back with you?"

Zhang Xixi raised an eyebrow. "Why not? We're short-handed at home anyway."

"They've come here as refugees, and we don't know if their words are trustworthy. We're just a small family, and we're always afraid of servants becoming too powerful and bullying their masters."

Zhang Xixi explained, "That's why I said I wanted to sign a contract of servitude!"

"Okay, as long as you have your own ideas!"

Finally, somehow he managed to persuade his wife, and Zhou Fu and his family followed, handing the household registration certificate to Zhang Xixi.

After putting away the household registration documents, Zhang Xixi found that there were too many people, and the mule cart couldn't fit everyone. Moreover, with so many people in her family, she still needed to buy some things to take back.

"Dad, Mom, you go back first. I'll take them to town to buy some luggage!"

"How are you going to get to town?" Chen asked anxiously.

Just then, an uncle drove an empty oxcart over. Zhang Xixi pointed to the cart and said, "Let's rent this uncle's cart."

Zhang Xixi took Zhou Fu and the other three back to town, found a cloth shop and bought four sets of coarse cloth clothes for them to wash and change into at the inn next door. She also bought two quilts and sheets, and after they ate a bowl of noodles in town, she took them back to the village.

Back in the village, Zhang Dacheng was still worried, so he went to see Zhou Dashan to tell him what he had heard in town and to discuss a solution.

Zhang Xixi brought Zhou Fu and the other three back to the Zhang family home. First, she moved her family's grain back home, and then she arranged work for Zhou Fu and the others.

Zhang Xixi first explained the family rules: "There are only two rules in my family. The first is that you can't betray her and you must be absolutely loyal to her. You can't tell anyone about anything that happens in the family without permission. The second is that you should call me 'Master' from now on. There are no rules about etiquette in the family. Just say what you need to say and don't try to play tricks. Got it?"

"remember!"

Seeing the serious expressions on Zhou Fu's and the others' faces, Zhang Xixi nodded in approval, quite satisfied with their attitude, and continued speaking.

"From now on, Zhou Fu will be responsible for the livestock and farm work. Your wife will be responsible for cooking and cleaning the yard. As for the two little ones, they will take care of the mules and horses. The trial period is three months. During these three months, room and board will be provided, but no wages will be paid. If I am satisfied with your work after three months and you are willing to stay, I will pay you wages."

After assigning tasks to everyone, Zhang Xixi led the four people to the back room.

"You'll be staying here from now on. There are no beds, so make do with sleeping on the floor for now. I'll go to the village to find someone to make two beds for you. You can rest this afternoon and get to know the situation here. You'll officially start work tomorrow."

"Thank you so much for taking us in!"

After seeing Zhang Xixi off, Zhou Fu returned to the back room and hugged his family. Although they had been sold into slavery, the fact that they were still alive and together as a family was enough!